Driving arrangement



2, 1969 w. PARKER DRIVING ARRANGEMENT Filed Aug. 27, 1968 4 w m 4 Z J A H Mm JA E m z 0. A 3 1 l2 1 Wfi 2 w t 1 x 5 14/ 12 fin $3. 2 L r L 5 0 U 4. $2 2 L L 1 L X. am u tates 3,460,335 DRIVING ARRANGEMENT Walter Parker, Wilmslow, Cheshire, England, assignor to Ernest Scragg & Sons Limited, Macclesfield, Cheshire, England Filed Aug. 27, 1968, Ser. No. 755,582 Int. Cl. Dtllh 7/ 92, 7/46 US. Cl. 5777.45 17 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to textile machines in general, and more particularly to textile machines employing false-twist spindles, such as false-twist crimping machines and the like. Still more specifically, the present invention relates to a driving arrangement for such falsetwist spindles.

It is common practice and well known in the art to drive the false-twist spindles of false-twisting machines of false-twist crimping machines by means of belt drives. However, this type of driving arrangement has always presented a number of problems, including the fact that a relatively great number of moving parts are involved in this type of drive, that it is not always easy to obtain high-speed rotation of the false-twist spindles at precisely controllable speeds of rotation and that it has usually been difiicult to obtain rotation of all false-twist spindlesof which a great number is usually provided in each machine-at identical rotational speed.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to overcome these disadvantages.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide, in a textile machine of the type mentioned, a driving arrangement for such rotatable elements as false-twist spindles which requires an extremely small number of movable parts for obtaining the desired rotation of the rotatable element.

An additional object of the invention is to provide such an arrangement wherein high-speed rotation of the rotatable element can be precisely controlled.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide an arrangement of the type here under discussion wherein a plurality of rotatable elements can be driven at identical and precisely controllable speeds of rotation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 'In accordance with one feature of my invention I provide, in a textile machine of the type discussed, an assembly which includes a rotatable element, such as a false-twist spindle, and electric motor means for rotating the rotatable element. The electric motor means includes a rotor member having a portion in torque-transmitting engagement with the rotatable element, and a stator which partially surrounds the rotor member. Thus, when the motor means is energized and the rotor member consequently rotates, the rotatable element has rotary motion imparted thereto by virtue of its torque-transmitting engagement with the rotor member.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side-elevational view of an assembly according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top-plan view, partly broken away of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic front elevational view of a I textile machine incorporating a plurality of the assemblies illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Discussing now the drawing in detail, and firstly FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, it will be seen that a false-twist spindle is identified with reference numeral 11. Such spindles are Well known and need not be further described beyond stating that they are of tubular configuration. In the illustrated embodiment the spindle 11 consists of magnetizable material for reasons which are still to be discussed.

A pair of metallic rollers 12, 13 are arranged adjacent the spindle 11 and are connected for joint rotation by a shaft 15 which is supported in a bearing 16 whose particular construction is of no importance for purposes of the invention. In the illustrated embodiment each of the rollers 12 and 13 has its peripheral edge face surrounded by a sleeve 14 of resilient material, for instance polyurethane or the like, and it is these sleeves 14 which are in frictionel engagement with the circumferential face of the spindle 11, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The purpose of the sleeves 14 is to provide suflicient friction with the face of the spindle 11 so that the spindle 11 will be in torquetransmitting engagement with the rollers 12 and 13. It is clear that material other than polyurethane for instance another suitable synthetic plastic material or an elastomeric material in general could be used for the sleeves 14.

The roller 12 constitutes the rotor of an electric motor Whose stator is constituted by a coil system 17. The construction of the roller 12 as the rotor of an electric motor, and the construction of the coil system 17 as the stator of the motor will be readily evident to those skilled in the art and therefore are not believed to require further specific discussion. It is necessary, of course, that the rotor be configurated as a roller which, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, is preferably of disc-shaped configuration.

FIG. 1 illustrates that th spindle 11 floats, that is that the spindle is maintained in engagement with the sleeves 14 of the rollers 12 and 13 without being mounted or journalled. For this purpose a permanent magnet 18, which in the illustrated embodiment is of horseshoeshaped configuration, is provided. This magnet 18 has an upper arm 18a and a lower arm 18b and the electric motor means constituted by the roller 12 and the coil system 17, as well as the shaft 15 and roller 13 are located within the confines of these arms 18a and 18b. The magnetic traction of the magnet 18 on the magnetizable material of the spindle 11 draws the latter into torquetransmitting engagement with the sleeves 14 of the rollers 12 and 13. It is to be noted, however, that the arms 18a and 18b of the magnet 18 are so configurated that, when the spindle 11 is in engagement with the sleeves 14, it will not be in engagement with the arms 18a and 18b. The lower arm 18b of the magnet 18 is provided with a bore 18c therethrough and the shaft or axle 15 extends through this bore 18c to the bearing 16. It is clear that the bearing 16 and the coil system 17 constituting the stator of the electric motor may be secured to the magnet 18 in any desired manner, and that the magnet in turn can be secured to a fixed part of a textile machine in which the assembly is to be utilized. It is further clear that when the electric motor means is energized, that is when electrical energy is supplied to the coil system 17, the roller 12 constituting the rotor of the electric motor means will turn, imparting similar rotation to the roller 13 via the shaft 15. Because of the torque-transmitting engagement of the sleeves 14 which are provided on the respective rollers 12 and 13, such rotation Will be in turn imparted to the spindle 11.

As a result of the floating maintenance of the spindle 11 in torque-transmitting engagement with the sleeves 14 of the rollers 12 and 13 by means of the magnet 18, separate mounting of the spindle 11 is not necessary.

It should be noted that the roller 13 could be eliminated, if this is desired, provided only that the roller 12 then be so configurated as to provide for engagement with the spindle 11 in such a manner as to maintain the spindle 11 in a stable position with respect to the roller 12 and to the magnet 18. In other words, simply eliminating the roller 13 and leaving the roller 12 at the position illustrated in FIG. 1 and configurated in the manner shown in that figure would not be sufiicient. However, if the roller 12 were to be relocated and given greater axial length, the roller 12 in itself would be sufiicient for purposes of th invention and the roller 13 would then not be required.

As FIG. 1 illustrates clearly, the coil system constituting the stator 17 is so configurated that it surrounds the edge of the roller 12 and partially overlies the opposite axial end faces thereof.

It is clear that the construction here illustrated requires vastly fewer movable parts than is the case with a conventional belt-drive arrangement, the belt-drive mechanism being eliminated and any separate mounting for the spindle 11 no longer being required because the rollers 12 and 13or under certain circumstances only the roller 12-now constitute the sole support for the spindle 11.

It will also be evident that in place of the spindle 11 any other member to be rotated could be employed as long as it can be placed into torque-transmitting engagement with the rollers 12 and 13 in the same manner as this is illustrated in FIG. 1 for the spindle 11. It is also evident that just as the roller 13 can be eliminated under the circumstances discussed above, one or more additional rollers can also be added to the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1 if this should be desired. It is simply necessary in that case that these additional rollers be coaxial with the rollers 12 and 13.

Coming now to FIG. 3 it will be seen that there is illustrated therein a textile machine utilizing a plurality of the assemblies shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The machine in FIG. 3 is assumed to be a false-twist crimping machine, although it could be of course an entirely different machine, for instance merely a false-twisting machine. In any case, the machine illustrated in FIG. 3 comprises a plurality of processing stages 20 each of which includes a filament or yarn supply package 21 from which a filament or yarn 21' is withdrawn in upward direction as seen in FIG. 3. To effect such withdrawal lower feed rollers 22 are provided and these are only diagrammatically illustrated, as is the rest of the machine because all the features with the exception of the assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2 are already well known. A heater 23 is provided for each of the processing stations 20, and the filament or yarn 21 which is withdrawn from the respective supply package 21 by the feed rollers 22 is passed into engagement with the heater 23 so as to be softened thereby. From the heater 23 the the filament or yarn 21 is passed to a false-twisting device 24 which is constituted in form of the assembly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The filament or yarn 21' passes in conventional manner through the spindle 11 of the respective false-twisting device 24 and thereupon is lead to the upper feed rollers 25 and from these to a wind-up or take-up means 26. It is again emphasized that all of this is conventional and well known in the art except for the construction of the false-twisting device 24 which is constituted by the assembly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3 the machine is illustrated as having three of the processing stations 20. It will be evident that the machine could have only one or two of such processing stations, but it will also be realized that such machines usually have a number of such processing stations which is much greater than three. Each of these processing stations 20 includes one of the false-twisting devices 24 in form of the assembly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, and each of these devices 24 is connected to a common source 27 of electrical energy. Thus, the electric motor means of each of the false-twisting devices 24 can be energized from this common source 27 of electrical energy and this makes possible joint control of all rotor means of all false-twisting devices 24, and assures that the rotors of each such motor means will operate at identical speeds.

The advantages of the present invention have already been outlined. It is emphasized once again, however, that the present invention is by no means limited to employment in a false-twist crimping machine, in a false-twist machine or even in a textile machine. Any element which is to be rotated in the manner of the spindle 11, and which can be placed into torque-transmitting engagement with the rollers 12 and 13 in the same manner as the spindle 11 in FIGS. 1 and 2, can be driven in accordance with the present invention.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of arrangements differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an arrangement for rotating a false-twist spindle, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a textile machine an assembly comprising, in combination, a rotatable element; and electric motor means comprising a rotor member having a portion in torquetransmitting engagement with said element, and a stator partially surrounding said rotor member whereby said rotatable element has rotary motion imparted thereto in response to energization of said motor means and consequent rotation of said rotor member.

2. In a textile machine, as defined in claim 1 wherein said rotatable element is an elongated tubular member having a circumferential face, and wherein said portion of said rotor member comprises a circumferential edge face in torque-transmitting engagement with said circumferential face.

3. In a textile machine as defined in claim 2; and further comprising biasing means operatively associated with said tubular member for biasing the same towards said rotor member to thereby maintain said face in torquetransmitting engagement with said edge face.

4. In a textile machine, as defined in claim 3, wherein said biasing means comprises magnetic means, and whereiifsaid tubular member consists of magnetizable material.

5. In a textile machine as defined in claim 2, wherein said rotor member is of disc-shaped configuration.

6. In a textile machine as defined in claim 5, wherein one of said members is provided With a sleeve of resilient friction-promoting material surrounding at least a portion of the respective face and being in engagement with the other face.

7. In a textile machine as defined in claim 6, wherein said sleeve consists of elastomeric material.

8. In a textile machine as defined in claim 7, wherein said elastomeric material is a synthetic plastic material.

9. In a textile machine as defined in claim 8, wherein said synthetic plastic material is polyurethane.

10. In a textile machine as defined in claim 6, wherein said one member is said rotor member.

11. In a textile machine as defined in claim 5, wherein said disc-shaped rotor member has two axial end faces, said stator paritally surrounding said rotor member and extending from one to the other of said end faces past said edge face of said rotor member.

12. In a textile machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said stator comprises a coil system of electrically energizable coils.

13. In a textile machine as defined in claim 4, wherein said tubular member is in engagement solely with said rotor member.

14. In a textile machine as defined in claim 4, wherein said rotor member constitutes a first roller member; and further comprising a second roller member coaxial with said first roller member, and a shaft member coupling said roller members, said second roller member having a second circumferential edge face, and said magnetic means biasing said tubular member into engagement with said second edge face as well as said edge face.

15. In a textile machine as defined in claim 14, wherein said tubular member is in engagement solely with said roller members.

16. In a textile machine as defined in claim 1; further comprising additional assemblies similar to the first-mentioned assembly; and a source of electrical energy operatively associated with all assemblies for energizing the respective electric motor means thereof.

17. In a textile machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said rotatable element is an elongated false-twist spindle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,957,302 10/1960 Lewk et a1. 57-77.3

3,369,356 2/1968 Mattingly 57-77.45

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,366,012 6/1964 France.

1,455,169 9/1966 France.

1,468,585 12/1966 France.

1,468,674 1/ 1967 France.

DONALD E. WATKINS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 57-92 

